The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-09-01
always fond Of you, from the time we

always fond Of you, from the time we
were children together"
eyes, Jack, but you must also re-
member, that for the last two or
three years you have avoided me and
treated me almost as q stranger
II own that I did not appreciate
you then as lido now; now adore you,'
and / entreat' you to believe me. Put
to any test you please. Bid me
wait and serve seven years for you as
Jacob did for Rachel, only do not
take hope from me utterly" urged
Jack. eagerly and pas~sionately.
"Ah, I think your love and your
patience would give out long before
that time," replied she. Z
"Try me, my darling, and you shall
see. But, Alice, do you not care at all
for me2"
Eyes, Jack, I care a great deal for
you. There is nc one else so dear to
me-" answered she, frankly.
"Then why will you not consent to
marry me?"
Because I must first feel absolute.
ly sure that you will not change. How
can I tell? Your feeling for me is OF
such sudden growth that it is not like
ly to be very long-lived. And it the
change were to come after we were
bound irrevocable to each other, it
would be terrible. But it is growing
very dark and we ought to be going
home" continued she, rising and
abruptly leaving the pavilion. b
Poor Jack followed her, deeply cha
grined and disappointed. He had ex-
pected an easy victory, and all that he
had brought away was a sense of dis
couragement, if not of defeat. His
vanity was sorely wounded, but his
love stood the blow well. 1t was too
deeply rooted to be easily blighted.
Besides she had acknowledged that
she loved him, and he swore to con.
vince her one day, and make her his
own.
About a week after this interview,
one of those restless persons who are
never happy unless they are seeing or
doing something, and who think that
nothing, however beautiful, is worth
looking at unless it is viewed by a
great many other pair of eyes at the
same time, chartered a small steamer
and persuaded the guests of the hotel,
young and old, to join him in an ex-
curslon to Somes's sound. Alice had
sprained her ankle badly a few days
before, and was unable to put her
foot to the floor. She had
forced her chaperon, a rather
giddy married woman, to leave
her to the care of one of the chamber
maids who promised to attend to her
wants. Jack not desiring to be of the
party, had risen very early and gone
off for a days fishing. The house was
utterly deserted except for the SER
wants. About noon Jack finding the
sun pretty hot, and having got tired
of fishing, babe the skipper whose
boat he had hired, to return. home
On nearing the house he was sur
prised to see thick black smoke and
flames issuing from a. house which
seemed to be situated very near thu
spot on which his hotel stood. Hi
heart leaped to his mouth at thu
sight. As soon as the boat touched
the wharf, he sprang ashore an raj
rapidly up the principal street, which
was utterly deserted. AS he turned
| the corner he saw it was tn
hotel itself that was burnin,
ing, The street was almost blocked
by a crowd OF men, women and boys
The engine, of antique fashion, ha'
just arrived upon the spot, and wa
being slowly got ready for action b,
the Impractical hands of the volur
teer fireman. Jack encountered 4
group in which he recognized some t.
the hotel servants, and he demande
in breathless tones sif Miss Lee ha
had been carried out?"
"Miss Lee!" exclaimed one of tn
women, ''was she in the house?"
eyes, she was in bed with g. sprain
ed ankle:"
'.Then she must be there still. Go
help her, for no Que has thought {
her" .v
Without an instant's delay JAG
rushed ipto the burning building
Great clouds of smoke filled the col
ridors and a scorching heat made il
self felt as he mounted to the thir
story, in which Alice's room was stu
ated. He heard her desparin
cries for help, and opening the door
he FASTENED to her bedside. Wit
reassuring words he wrapped he
quickly in a blanket, taking care t.
cover her head, and bore her quick,
through the smoke, which had no,
become very dense, to the street, AM
from thence to a neighboring cottage
Upon removing the blanket from he
face it was found that she had tainted
but she was soon restored to consc!
BUSINESS and able to rejoice at her de
livery from a terrible death.
A few hours after, Jack was surpris
ed and overioyed to receive the follow
ing note:
DEAR JACK: I need no. further proof O
your love than the one you gave today
I am ready atany time you like to acknow
ledge to the world that my heart is in pos
session Of such q hero as yourself.
Yours forever, ALICE
Saturday Traveller.
Sykes Dog.
Ben: Perley Poore, in the Bosotn Budget
When MI. Lincoln heard ofthe scat
tering OF the confederates under Hoo.
by General Thomas he was reminded
/ ofthefolluWinp anecdote: Out / Move